Our next Antenatal Classes take place online on Saturday, 16th January & 27th February 2021 via Zoom.

The Help Me To Parent Antenatal & Newborn Care course is designed for expectant parents. The course covers the last 3 months of pregnancy, labour and childbirth. It also covers the care of your newborn baby and care of your relationship after the arrival of your baby. The course runs over one full day, saving you time attending the maternity hospital class over a number of weeks.

The course is designed and delivered by a fully qualified midwife with over 10 years experience. As a mother of  young children  our midwife has the ability to bring her experience of childbirth as both a professional and a mother to our courses.

If you are having your first baby, it’s a totally new experience. Taking part in an antenatal class will prepare you and ease your fear of the unknown. You may be concerned about pain relief during birth, breastfeeding, what to do when the baby arrives. Our ante natal classes cover all of these issues and more in a relaxed and friendly environment.

As our antenatal courses are delivered by a qualified midwife, you may be entitled to reclaim part of the fee against your health insurance. Check your policy for details.

Course Topics Include:

• Help and advice on how to cope with all the minor discomforts during your third Trimester. You and your partner will learn about the changes your body is undergoing and the best way to make life easier for you in the last 12-14 weeks of your pregnancy.
• How to prepare for labour and delivery, the 3 stages of delivery, what your body and baby are doing at each stage.
• Different ways that you can cope with your labour and how your partner can play an active role in your labour, working together as a team!
• We explain about all of the different forms of pain relief available during labour from gas, air, drugs and TENS machines.
• “When do I go to hospital?” Be confident in knowing when you need to go to the hospital and what happens once your there. We will teach you how to have realistic expectations of how your labour will be managed when you arrive in hospital.
• What will happen if my labour doesn’t go as planned? Induction /Caesarean Section/Instrumental Delivery – all of these will be explained clearly.
• Transition to parenthood – becoming a parent doesn’t mean you automatically have a switch that tells you what to do!  We explain this transition.
• Basic care for your new baby covers topics such as basic physical care, developing a bond with your new baby and understanding your baby’s needs (for example, why are they crying?)
• Breastfeeding Information: Research has shown that women who learn about breastfeeding in the Antenatal Period have a higher success of Breastfeeding their newborn for longer periods. Learn about simple easy to use methods to ensure your breastfeeding is successful, long lasting and enjoyable. For those of you not intending to breastfeed, we also provide information on bottle hygiene and feeding.
• We have practical demonstrations on preventing cot death and bathing your baby. Our aim is to give you the confidence you need for when your baby comes home.
• We provide information about all the Vaccinations & Immunisations your baby receives in the first 13months.
• Looking after yourself and your partner – we will give you practical advice on your new roles as parents and how to maintain a healthy relationship between you as parents.
• We cover health issues for both parents including resuming your intimate relationship and contraception.